Commercial washing machine



Oct. 29, 1968 w. BBEEBE ET AL COMMERCIAL WASHING MACHINE Filed April 14,1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q l 2z Y v Il W l Q n H n Ilm F'IG l HNI.l

Inl uw B. BEEBE JOHN JOSEPH MILLER Oct. 29, 1968 B, BEEBE' ET AL ICOMMERCIAL WASHING MA CHINE i5V Sheets-She-et 2 Filed April//VI/E'N7'O4?-.i"y WILL/AMv B. BEEBE JOHN JOSEPH MILLER law. 1f

f Aan/r Oct. 29, 1968 w.` B. BEEBE ETAL 3,407,635

COMMERC ILV ,WASHING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet. 5

/NVENTORS WILL/AM a. 95.15491? Jol-M1 JOSEPH MIL/ ER A GENT UnitedStates Patent O 3,407,635 COMMERCIAL WASHING MACHINE William B. Beebe,lCincinnati, and John Joseph Miller,

Norwood, Ohio, assignors to McGraw-Edison Company, Elgin, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 630,909 9 Claims.(Cl. 68-207) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A washing machine tub has a pipeattached along its length to serve as a structural beam and as a tie barfor the end walls of the tub. Each end of the pipe is mounted in hollowbearings so that the tub may be pivoted for unloading of the clothes.The pipe is provided with side openings leading into the tub to serve asa manifold for enabling the tub to be filled with liquid.

This invention relates to large commercial Washing machines which havetrunnions at the ends pivoted in a support frame to enable the machineto be tilted forwardly into an unloading position and then back again tonormal operating position.

The invention relates further to such commercial washing machineswherein the rotating drum in the tub is provided with one or morepartition walls to divide the drum into a plurality of compartmentsspaced along the axis of the drum. The invention is not limited howeverin its broader aspects to washing machines having a plurality of suchcompartments.

The tub and drum in these machines have openable doors aligned with eachother as to each compartment in the drum. These doors are so locatedthat they are in the upper forward quadrant f the tub when the tub is inits operating position to facilitate easy loading. As the tub is tiltedinto its unloading position, the doors become located in the lowerforward quadrant of the tub ahead of the frame to enable the laundry tobe dumped from the drum into a container.

An object of the invention is to provide improvements in such commercialwashing machines which enable the machines to be lled with water andsupplies from either or both ends, which employ no make-break waterconnections or rotatable seals, and which are of a strong and economicalconstruction.

The invention resides especially in welding a heavy pipe to the tubalong the length thereof to serve not only as a structural beam inreinforcing the tub and as a tie bar between the ends thereof but alsoas a manifold for filling the tub. This pipe is extended beyond the endsof the tub to provide trunnions which pivot in bearings in the supportframe whereby to enable the tub to be tilted between its operating andunloading positions. Further, the pipe has one or more sidewall openingsinto the tub to enable the tub to be filled with water via the trunnionends through the bearings. Connections from a water pipe at the base ofthe machine to the trunnions are made by means of elbow fittings on thetrunnions and permanent hose connections between the ttings and waterpipe which are subjected only to simple flexure as the tub is tiltedbetween its operating and unloading positions.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a commercial washing machineembodying the invention and shown in its operating position;

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FIGURE 2 is a left-hand end view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a right-hand end view of the machine shown in its unloadingposition;

FIGURE 4 is a fractional sectional view through the reinforcing-manifoldpipe taken on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 1; p

FIGURE 5 is a fractional view through an end trunnion partly in sectionon the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fractional front view partly in section showing a way offeeding supplies into the pipe manifold according to one embodiment ofthe invention; and

FIGURE 7 is another fractional front view partly in section showinganother Way of feeding supplies into the pipe manifold according to asecond embodiment of the invention.

The present washing machine comprises a cylindrical tub 10 pivotallysupported at its ends by two support frames 11 and 12, each of a weldedchannel bar construction. The frames have outer upright standardsparallel to each other each carrying a hollow bearing 13 at the front ofthe washer and a platform 14 at the rear thereof. Each bearing comprisesa lower half cylindrical portion 13a welded to the support frame and anupper half cylindrical portion 13b bolted to the lower portion thereof.The support frames are so located that the bearings are at the samelevel and in alignment with each other. Welded to the cylindrical tubalong the length thereof is a heavy pipe 15 having trunnion ends 16 and17 which extend beyond the end walls of the tub. The trunnion ends mayhave suitable bronze bushings 15a thereon which pivot in the bearings.Secured to the end walls of the tub at the rear portion thereof arebrackets 18 which seat on the respective platforms 14 to support the tubin an operating position wherein the axis of the tub is approximately atthe level of the: pivot axis thereof in the bearings 13. Water inletsinto the tub via the trunnion ends are formed by providing side openingsin the pipe as is later described.

Within the tub there is a cylindrical drum 19 having apertured walls forfree flow of cleaning liquid therethrough. The drum is provided withtrunnion shafts 20 at the ends which journal in axial bearings 21mounted on the end walls of the tub. The shaft at the left end extendsbeyond the respective bearing and has a pulley 22 mounted thereoncoupled by a belt 23 to a drive pulley 24 of an electric motor 25mounted on a bracket 26 at the top of the tub as shown in FIGURE 2.

The pivoting or tilting of the tube about the bearings 13 from theoperating position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 to its unloading positionshown in FIGURE 3 is effected by a hydraulic piston-cylinder 27 at eachend of the tub. The cylinder is pivoted at 28 to the base of therespective frame and extends upwardly past the end wall of the tub. Aconnecting rod 29 leading from the piston is connected pivotally at 30to a bracket 31 adjacent the central bearing 21 of the tub. Hydraulicfluid is injected into the cylinder via a pipe 32 at the bottom to tiltthe tub forwardly and upwardly from the operating to the unloadingpositions and via a pipe 33 at the top to tilt the tub back to itsoperating position. The tub is provided with outlet valves 34 whichassume bottom positions when the tub is in its operating position toenable the tub to `be then drained of liquid.

The rotating drum 19 is preferably provided with one or more partitionwalls 3 5 at right angles to the axis thereof to divide the internalspace into a plurality of successive compartments C1, C2 etc., spacedalong the axis of the tub. By way of illustrative example, the presentmachine is shown as having three partition walls (FIG- URE 6) to dividethe drum into four compartments. Each compartment is provided with anarcuate door 36 (FIG- URE 1) but the tub is provided with only twoarcuate doors 37 each of a width of about half the length of the tub toencompass a pair of doors 36 on the drum.

The side edges of the doors 37 are guided in runners 49 (FIGURE 4)mounted on the narrow strips of the tub wall at the sides of the dooropenings. These runners are held in place by retaining bands 50 securedby rivets 51 to the tub wall strips. The bottom edges 37a of the doorsare bent inwardly except on the end portions which slide in the runners.

The tub Wall strips are slotted lengthwise of the tub at the bottom ofthe door openings as indicated at 52 (FIG- URE 4), and the pipe 15 isinset partially into these slots so that the portions of the pipetraversing the door openings form the bottom edges of these openings.The pipe 15 is welded at the inner ends of the trunnions 16 and 17 tocollars 53 which are in turn welded securely to the heavy end Walls ofthe tub. Also, the upper portions of the pipe are welded at 54 to thetub wall strips along the upper edges of the slots 52, and the lowerportions of the pipe are welded continuously at 55 to the tub wall alongthe lengths of the slots and door openings. Also, a series of gussets aare welded at suitable intervals into the angular space between thebottom wall of the pipe and the tub wall in order to strengthen theconstruction, and a trough 56 which conforms to the upper portion of thepipe aong the length thereof is abutted against the tub wall strips atthe sides of the door openings and welded in place to the pipe and tubwalls at 57. As shown in FIGURE 4, the inwardly bent edges 37a of thetub doors rest on the inner end of the trough when the tub doors areclosed. The troughs are provided to catch any liquid that may leak pastthe bottom edges of the tub doors during the operation of the washer.

When the tub is in its operating position the slide doors thereof are inthe upper forward quadrant of the machine to permit easy loading of thedrum. When the tub is swung approximately 100 to its unloading position,the doors become located in the lower forward quadrant of the machine sothat the laundry may be dumped from the drum into a suitable container(not shown) on the floor at the front of the machine.

The pipe serves not only as a reinforcing beam and pivot for the tub butalso as a manifold for feeding water from an outside source into therespective compartments of the drum. Thus, the pipe is provided with asmany side openings 38 (FIGURE 6) as there are compartments in the drum,there being four such side openings in the illustrated example eachlocated midway the width of the respective compartment so that there isa balanced ow of water into each compartment.

Fluid couplings are made to the trunnion ends 16 and 17 of the pipe 15by first threading elbow fittings 39 either into or onto the endportions of the pipe extending beyond the bearings or to threadedcouplings (not shown) welded to the pipe. Preferably, elbow fittings areprovided at both ends as shown, but alternatively there may be an elbowfitting at one end only and the other end of the pipe may be plugged.Connected to the outer ends of the elbow fittings are flexible hoses 40which leadI in vertical planes to respective outlet pipes 41 of a waterinlet valve means 42 located at the base of the machine. The use ofelbow ittings at the trunnion ends and of permanent hose connectionsleading from the elbow fittings in a vertical plane to the respectivewater pipes provide tight leak-proof connections which do not involveany make-break couplings or rotatable seals to enable the tub to bepivoted between its operating and unloading positions and which furtherrequire only simple flexure of the hoses without any twisting thereof.

Secured liquid tight through a sidewall of each elbow fitting 39 is asmaller fitting 43 connected externally via a liexible hose 44 to a pipe45 leading from a source of liquid supplies such as of liquid soap,bleach, etc. Each hose 44 leads also in a vertical plane from thefitting 43 to the pipe 45. Each fitting 43 is connected internally to asmall pipe 46 which is mounted axially within the pipe 15. In theembodiment shown in FIGURE 6, the pipes 46 extend only through therespective trunnions 16 and 17 so that the liquid supplies will bedispersed into the inlet water stream just past the inner ends of thetrunnions. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7, an inner pipe 47 isextended throughout the length of the main pipe 15 and connected to thefittings 43 at both ends. The inner pipe 47 is provided with sideopenings 48 in line with the respective side openings 38 of the mainpipe. Thus, in this embodiment the liquid supplies are dispersed intothe water streams where these streams enter the respective compartmentsC of the drum.

The embodiments of our invention herein particularly shown and describedare intended to be illustrative and not necessarily limitative of ourinvention, since the same are subject to changes and modilicationswithout departure from the scope of our invention which we set forthaccording to the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a washing machine: the combination 0f a frame having two spacedvertical standards, a pair of hollow bearings on said standards inhorizontal alignment with each other, a tub between said standards, apipe welded to the outer wall of said tub along the length thereof toserve as a structural beam for the tub and as a tie bar between the endwalls thereof, said pipe having trunnion ends extending beyond the endwalls of said tub which are journaled in said bearings lwhereby tosupport the tub pivotally by said standards for movement betweenoperating and unloading positions, and said pipe having side openingsleading into the tub to serve as a manifold for enabling the tub to befilled with liquid via the pipe and the trunnion ends thereof throughsaid bearings.

2. The washing machine set forth in clairn 1 including a smaller pipemounted axially in said iirst mentioned pipe for feeding washingsupplies into the liquid stream in said first mentioned pipe.

3. The washing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein the wall of said tubhas door openings and slots at the bottom of the door openings torecel-ve partially said pipe along the length of the tub, and edges ofsaid tub wall are welded liquid-tight to the wall of said pipe, theportion of said pipe received by said tub having side openings providingan inlet passageway for flow of liquid from the pipe .into the tub.

4. The washing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said verticalstandards are provided respectively with supporting platforms spacedrearwardly of said bearings, said tub having brackets secured thereto inpositions for seating engagement on said respective platforms to supportthe tub so that the central axis thereof is at the level of saidbearings, and hydraulic prime movers between said frames and therespective end portions of said tub for raising and lowering the tubpivotally about said bearings between operating and unloading positions.

5. The washing machine set forth in claim 1 including elbow fittingssecured to the trunnion ends of said pipe beyond said bearings, a liquidvalve means, and hose couplings in vertical planes between said valvemeans and the outer ends of said fittings whereby the hose couplings aresubjected to simple iiexure without twisting as said tub is pivotedbetween its operating and unloading positions.

6. In a washing machine: the combination of a frame having two spacedvertical standards, a pair of hollow bearings mounted on said standardsin horizontal alignment with each other, a horizontal cylindrical tubbetween said standards having axially aligned bearings in the end wallsthereof, a washing drum in said tub having an apertured peripheral walland having trunnion shafts on its end walls journaled in said tubbearings, said drum having a vertical partition Awall dividing the druminto a plurality of' -compartments spaced along the axis of the drum, anexternal pipe extending along the length ofthe tub, said pipe havingflanges Welded to the end Walls of said tub and being Welded to theouter Wall of said tub along the length thereof, said pipe havingtrunnion ends extending beyond the end 4walls of the tub and jo'urnaledin said frame bearings, and said pipe having side openings providing aliquid inlet passageway from said pipe to said respective compartmentsfor enabling the tub to be filled With liquid via said pipe and atrunnion end thereof.

7. The washing machine set forth in claim 6 including an inner pipeextending through a trunnion end of said external pipe for injectingsupplies into the inlet liquid stream in said external pipe.

8l. The Washing machine set forth in claim 'l' including means forfeeding liquid into each trunnion end of said external pipe and whereinsaid inner pipe extends axially through said external pipe along thelength thereof and is provided with side openings in registration withthe respective side openings in said external pipe.

9. The Washing machine set forth in claim 7, including an elbow ttingsecured to a trunnion end of said external pipe, a water valve meanshaving an outlet pipe terminating in a vertical plane through the outerend of said elbow fitting, a hose connecte-d to the end of said elbowfitting and to said outlet pipe of said valve means, a second smallertting leading through a side Wall of said first mentioned elbow fittingand Connected to the adjacent end of said inner pipe, a source of liquidsupplies having an outlet pipe terminating in a Vertical plane throughthe outer end of said smaller fitting, and a hose connected between saidsmaller fitting and said outlet pipe `of said liquid supplies.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

